This is the 58th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution. This is the event that changed our lives, my mother and father and we became Political Refugees. We had to flee our home and homeland.
War is ugly no matter where or when it happens! The memories are still vivid and dark!
This is the apartment we lived in the address was Lenin Korut 101. Before the Communist renamed the boulevard it was called Terész Körut and again after the cummunists regime fell it is again called Teresz Korut as it is today. Located about a block away from the "Nyugati" (West) Train Station. Click Here for a Map of Budapest.
We lived on the first floor apartment #10. The tree was right in front of our windows. This is one of the main "round" streets in Budapest so during the revolution there was a lot of "action" right in front of our building. This is a picture I took about a year ago when I was visiting.
During the revolution this was our view of the tree.... yes including the dead body hanging by his feet....Now that I'm writing this it sounds so horribly ghoulish but at the time we were numb to all of the horrors.
This is what the street looked like, the building on the left is our building. The debris on the ground included human body parts, sometimes the tanks ran people over....
Here are some more images from 1956 what we left....
This is a magazine that Life Magazine issued as an extra addition and sold for .50 cents and the proceeds went towards helping the Hungarian Refugees. I found a copy at an old magazine store on Main Street in Santa Monica. A couple of years ago I paid $50 dollars for it but to me it is one of my treasured posessions.
Links:
http://www.hungary1956.com/journeyhome.htm
PestCentric a Blog about Budapest in English
Hungarian Dictionary
The Terror House Museum
This one is in Hungarian about the Revolution
www.freedomfighter56.com
www.hungary1956.com
www.1956.lap.hu
www.hungaria.org
www.hacusa.org
7 comments:
Thank you for sharing this with us. I can't even imagine what it must have been like.
I remember a couple of little girls in my elementary school coming from Hungary during the revolution. It was difficult for them to adjust to our pampered and safe way of life, but eventually, they fit in. I most remember their looks of amazement at our walking home from school by ourselves and being safe on the streets.
This is a powerful post, Ana.
Wow, how awful. I really need to remember to be thankful for what we have. Especially safety and security. I'm so glad you and your family escaped!
What a moving story. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing your story and the photos.
I visited Budapest a few years ago --- such beautiful country, it's hard to imagine such horrors happening there.
I am moved to tears - both sad and joyous. The joy is for all who thrive in spite of the horror of war. Thank you for reminding us to keep on living and to never give in.
Ana - I am a machine knitter, and have met you at the Newton's seminars. I was perusing the web, looking for a mk group to join, and I stumbled upon your blog. Wow - I didn't know your Hungarian background. My ex-husband, Joseph Hajdu, was from Budapest. He was born in 1941. His father and uncles were sent to the camps, mother was sent to a factory. I was married to Joe for 7 years. We had one son, who is now 23-years old (half-Japanese, half-Hungarian). Joe never went into much detail about his experiences during the Holocaust or the revolution. His family immigrated to Israel in 1957. Very sadly, on September 3, 2015, Joe passed away. At his memorial, a fellow CSUN professor who was born in Budapest in 1941 talked about the suffering they went through. Joe's sister talked about what happened to Joe during the Holocaust.
I hope to talk with you at the next Newton's seminar. If you are interested, here are some links:
JH obituary
http://m.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?n=joseph-hajdu&pid=175779020&referrer=0&preview=false
JH memorial slideshow:
https://youtu.be/QRZXUKF3MDw
JH memorial service:
https://youtu.be/AU5H66gBrsY
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